BSc Agriculture with a Placement Year

Title:

Agriculture in Practice 1

Code:

AD1AGP

Convenor:

DR Laurence Smith

Summary:

This module supports students to develop an understanding of a range of farming systems, types of farm management practices and agricultural businesses.  Students will be introduced to the concept of rural entrepreneurship and will be guided in the development of innovative business structures and ventures.  This interactive module provides students with a range of opportunities to discuss with farm managers and professionals in the area alternative methods of marketing their produce. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Animal Anatomy, Physiology and Nutrition 1

Code:

AD1APN

Convenor:

DR Rachael Neal

Summary:

How do animals work? How do we apply that knowledge to keep animals in good health and welfare? In this module you’ll develop a fundamental understanding of how animals' function (and sometimes malfunction) as integrated biological systems, allowing you to continue your studies in different species and contexts. It will cover many of the main organ systems including the cardiovascular, respiratory and locomotory systems, and introduce digestive physiology and animal nutrition - important underlying knowledge for managing animals. By studying anatomical structure and physiological function through lectures and practical teaching covering selected major tissues and organ systems, the main domestic species (farmed animals, pets and horses) are compared and investigated, helping students develop key skills in comparative biology and link examples of animal health, ill health and behaviour to underlying physiology.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Agricultural Production Systems

Code:

AD1APS

Convenor:

DR Sokratis Stergiadis

Summary:

Primary food production is a complex and exciting process. In this module you’ll be introduced to key biological principles in crop and livestock science along with an international perspective on crop and livestock production. 

Crop Production 

You will be introduced to the factors that influence crop choice for different environments and the practicalities of preparing the soil and sowing the seeds. You’ll learn the principles of resource capture and utilisation by crops and the components of yield, quality and nutrition, understanding how these can be manipulated by farmers to maximise yield. You’ll also be introduced to crop protection using chemical and non-chemical methods to control pests and diseases. 

Livestock Production 

You’ll be introduced to the key biological principles in livestock science and an international perspective on livestock production, including the contribution livestock makes to human health and livelihoods, and the major principles and problems associated with intensive and extensive livestock production.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Agricultural Research Skills

Code:

AD1ARS

Convenor:

DR Gillian Rose

Summary:

Sustainable farming practices are based on the application of scientific research. This module will introduce you to a range of research topics and methods currently used within the agriculture industry. You will plan, conduct and analyse a group research project working alongside a member of our research staff. After critically analysing your results, you will present your research in the form of a scientific poster to your peers and the wider School staff. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Crop Physiology, Nutrition and Protection

Code:

AD1CNP

Convenor:

PROF Donal O'Sullivan

Summary:

Crop physiology is the study of the processes involved in growth, development and yield formation in crop plants in response to their environment.  In this module, you will learn functional anatomy of diverse crop families, how crop plants grow and develop and their nutritional, water and light resource needs during different phases of development. You will also learn about crop physiological responses when conditions are less than ideal i.e. nutrient limitation, abiotic stress and attack by pests and pathogens. We start by covering the core principles and concepts through lectures, screencasts and interactive seminars in the autumn term and progress in the spring term to a series of glasshouse and farm-based practicals to bring crop physiology to life and to draw the different strands of your learning in this module together

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Global Sustainability: Challenges and Prospects

Code:

AD1GLS

Convenor:

DR Nick Bardsley

Summary:

The world faces multiple ecological crisis, including climate change, biodiversity loss and soil erosion. This module examines such challenges, their drivers, their relationship to other social and economic issues, and potential responses.  

Its aims are: 

• To introduce students to key ecological and eco-social challenges of our time, their causes, proposals to address them and associated debate across several disciplines.  
• To enable students to trace the connections between these issues and content of other modules. 
• To advance the University’s citizenship agenda. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Agriculture in Practice 2

Code:

AD2AGP

Convenor:

DR Laurence Smith

Summary:

The module aims to expose students to professional practice in agriculture industry and to give them an understanding of the range of career opportunities in the sector.  This module provides opportunities for students to develop ‘careers curiosity’ and gain a range of essential career planning skills.  You will also network with a range of employers in the agriculture sector to secure and complete either (a) a micro work-placement independently organised by the student and authorised by the University, or (b) conduct a series of informational interviews with potential employers to develop a deeper understanding of careers in development and the skills and experience required through evaluation of job roles 

This module includes a two-part, 3-day residential field trip aiming to expose you to a range of farming types, businesses, and systems, particularly those not common in the Reading area, to understand the commercial realities affecting the industry and to discuss current trends in farm practices across the UK. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Crop Agronomy

Code:

AD2CAY

Convenor:

DR Paola Tosi

Summary:

To enable students to manage a UK cereal crop at a basic level, and to understand the nutritional cycles and the rationale for agrochemical use behind arable production. 

The module should interest anyone whose career will involve arable crop production but will be of particular relevance to those wishing to develop as agronomists or farm managers. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Data Skills

Code:

AD2DAS

Convenor:

DR Alice Haughan

Summary:

This module covers the principles of experimental design, data management and visualisation and common statistical methods for analysing datasets. It aims to provide students with the ability to collect data in a rigorous way, process that data, analyse and interpret it and communicate the results. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Farm Business Management

Code:

AD2FBM

Convenor:

DR Sanzidur Rahman

Summary:

The structure of the module will enable you to develop your knowledge on the elements of financial management, decision making, business planning and entrepreneurship. Through visits to rural businesses, in-class interactive lectures and real-world scenario assessments, you have an exciting opportunity to gain a detailed understanding of agri-businesses including financials, policy frameworks/legislation and business management. You will be exposed to a variety of farming systems and structures, and you will have the opportunity to explore farm management practices linked amongst others to regenerative farming, organic agriculture, sustainability and farm business diversification and rural entrepreneurship. You will understand the crucial role of the finance function and gain a good grounding in the principles, concepts, analytical techniques, and practical applications of financial management in the context of a business enterprise. You will acquire the skills to assess the financial needs of a business, evaluate alternative investment projects, identify and evaluate possible sources of finance and take decisions regarding the deployment of finance at the level of the non-specialist manager. You will also gain excellent networking opportunities through regular visits and guest lecturers. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Livestock Production, Nutrition and Welfare

Code:

AD2PNW

Convenor:

PROF Christopher Reynolds

Summary:

Livestock production accounts for over half of UK Agriculture income, highlighting its importance in the food production chain. Consumers require that their food is of high quality, but low-cost, and produced in an ethical and sustainable way. In this module, you will develop a detailed understanding of underlying factors that will ultimately influence the management of food producing animals. This module, through a series of lectures and farm visits, will explore a range of livestock production systems (dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry), and investigate how nutrition and management interact with welfare and other factors to determine the long-term sustainability of animal production.  

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Animal Anatomy, Physiology and Nutrition 2

Code:

AD2APN

Convenor:

DR Les Crompton

Summary:

Regardless of whether animals are kept for farming, companionship, recreation or conservation, there are a number of important underlying processes which contribute to their nutrition, health, growth and reproductive success. This module explores the science behind how animals are successfully fed, how they develop, reproduce and successfully rear their young. You will learn about the fundamental nutritional requirements (energy, protein, vitamins and minerals), assimilation of nutrients, factors affecting feed intake and the methods through which nutritional value of animal feeds can be determined to enable planning of balanced animal diets. You will discover the anatomy and physiology of reproduction in the male and female - from puberty and conception through to birth, lactation, rearing and growth of offspring, and will consider the influence of hormones, nutrition, the environment and human interventions. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Farmland and Woodland: Ecology and Management

Code:

AD2FWE

Convenor:

PROF Martin Lukac

Summary:

The module focuses on the ecology and management of land used for agriculture and forestry, including woodland, grassland, heathland and other semi-natural habitats.  It considers the history of the development of land use by humans and historic and contemporary drivers that have affected the productivity and biodiversity of such systems.  It covers the underlying ecological mechanisms impacting on the productivity and biodiversity of such systems including succession and the interaction of competition and disturbance, along with the impacts of habitat fragmentation and other landscape-scale factors.  The module will introduce the concepts of management planning for particular sites, including the complex decision making necessary for managing sites for multiple objectives (e.g. economic production, biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, recreation, etc.)

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Principles of Horticulture and Crop Production

Code:

AD2HCP

Convenor:

DR Luke Bell

Summary:

To provide knowledge of the principles of horticultural production used by specific sections of the horticulture industry, and knowledge of specific crops and their methods of production. Content of the includes: location of crop production in relation to climatic and edaphic factors; principles of soil cultivation, mineral nutrients, improving the nutritional status of soils; crop propagation and establishment; principles of crop rotation; effects of spacing and spatial arrangement on crop growth and yield. Irrigation of field crops; training methods for fruit crops; production methods for protected crops; and postharvest storage of horticultural produce. Individual crop types will be looked at in specific detail; such as: tomatoes, lettuces, onions, strawberries, Brassicas, apples, and carrots.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Veterinary Health and Disease

Code:

AD2VHN

Convenor:

DR Kirsty Kliem

Summary:

How do we keep animals in the best possible health? Animals in our care depend on us to ensure their health by managing the environment, minimising pathogens, and maximising animal defences. Students will develop and enhance fundamental knowledge in animal health biology, including immunology and epidemiology, develop understanding of evidence-based approaches to evaluate a range of animal health and disease challenges, systematically evaluate animal health risks and propose appropriate disease management strategies. Examples of diseases in domestic species are utilised throughout, and the module culminates in a mini-symposium on animal health with guest speakers contributing to explain the practicalities of how the UK caries out disease surveillance and how businesses contribute to vaccine development and health management.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Ancient Epic

Code:

CL2AE

Convenor:

DR Doukissa Kamini

Summary:

This module offers an introduction to Greek and Latin epic, centring around close study of the Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid, but including discussion of other early Greek hexameter poems such as Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and the Epic Cycle. It may also cover Hellenistic epic, for example Apollonius Rhodius, or other Roman epics like Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Greek History: Persian Wars to Alexander

Code:

CL2CGH

Convenor:

PROF Timothy Duff

Summary:

Greek History 479-323 BC, from the end of the Persian Wars, through the Peloponnesian War and the fall of Sparta, to the rise of Macedon and the meteoric career of Alexander the Great.

Assessment Method:

Exam 50%, Assignment 50%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Ancient Drama

Code:

CL2DR

Convenor:

PROF David Carter

Summary:

This module examines the ancient genre of drama, with respect to its content, themes and style, and the context of performance culture which surrounded it.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Roman History: From Republic to Empire

Code:

CL2RO

Convenor:

DR Tim Penn

Summary:

This Roman history module covers the period from the second triumvirate in the last years of the Republic to the reigns of the emperors.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Development of transferable skills through a school placement 2

Code:

ED2TS2

Convenor:

MR Mark Aitchison

Summary:

This module enables undergraduate students to develop key transferable skills needed for employment, and also provides outreach experience. Following specialist training on key aspects of working in schools, ten day placements in June/July in secondary schools in the Reading area will provide work experience in a professional setting.

In the autumn, students will build on the knowledge and transferable skills acquired in order to plan and deliver, with colleagues, a teaching session that shares knowledge of their degree specialism with small groups of school students. Students will reflect on, and share, their experiences with their colleagues. Assessment will be by coursework, and placement supervisor report on professionalism and engagement.

Students will be selected by application and interview.

Please be aware that once the placement has been completed in June it is not possible to switch from this module in the Autumn Term as students have completed practical activities directly relating to 50% of the mark (Professionalism and portfolio) and that link to activities in the Autumn Term.

Assessment Method:

Practical 10%, Oral 50%, Portfolio 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Wildlife Documentary: Ecology and Representation

Code:

FT2WD

Convenor:

DR Adam O'Brien

Summary:

This module gives you the opportunity to study wildlife documentaries and filmmaking addressing ecological issues. You will engage with the relevant critical vocabulary and contextual knowledge to explore how meaning is created and constructed. Case studies may include David Attenborough’s landmark BBC series, nature documentaries such as March of the Penguins and climate change films such as An Inconvenient Truth. There may be a Q&A with a guest speaker from the creative industries.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 60%, Oral 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Intercultural Competence and Communication

Code:

IL2GICC

Convenor:

PROF Daniela Standen

Summary:

In this module students develop the skills and understanding needed for communicating effectively in a multi-cultural global environment including the university and the workplace.  Intercultural competence and communication will be considered from a range of disciplinary perspectives, including Language Eucation, Film, and Curriculum.  During the course of the module you will tackle questions such as: How do you work successfully in multicultural Teams? Are nationality and identity the same thing? Why do stereotypes exist?

Students will demonstrate their learning, through reflections and critical evaluation of a real-world situation.

The module will be delivered at the University of Reading Whiteknights campus

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Modern Britain in Global Society

Code:

IL2GMBG

Convenor:

DR Lucy Watson

Summary:

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Introduction to English Language Teaching

Code:

LS2LAT

Convenor:

DR Erhan Aslan

Summary:

The course aims to provide an overview of key aspects of language teaching methodology and practice. 

Assessment Method:

Portfolio 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Society, Thought, and Art in Modern Europe

Code:

ML2STA

Convenor:

DR Veronica Heath

Summary:

This module aims to provide students with a systematic historical and cross-national understanding of the key ideas, institutions and symbols that have come to constitute and represent modernity, in its original cradle in Europe and the rest of the world. The module examines the birth of modern men and women in Europe in the late eighteenth century, in the fulcrum of the Enlightenment and Romanticism, and the broad intellectual, cultural, economic, political and social conditions which have been shaping and re-shaping them since. The module further shows a) the contributions of different European nations to a common European reaction to and re-evaluation of tradition and innovation and b) the diffusion of modernity (Westernisation) from Europe to Asia and Africa and its role in the creation of a global world. Finally, it shows how art has played a leading role in the transformations of modernity - not only recording it but also constituting one of its central components.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 80%, Class test 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Climate Change: Causes and Consequences

Code:

MT2CCC

Convenor:

PROF Nigel Arnell

Summary:

This module examines the causes and consequences of climate change, and ways of addressing climate risks through mitigation and adaptation. 

The broad aim of the module is to provide students with the latest information on climate change and its consequences to allow them to understand both how and why climate is changing, and understand the challenges in developing local, national and international responses to climate change. 

The module will enable students to understand and actively contribute to one of the key defining challenges of the 21st century.  

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

American Government and Politics

Code:

PO2AMG

Convenor:

DR Derek Bolton

Summary:

This module examines the historical, ideological and constitutional frameworks of American Government and Politics. It analyses the relationship between ideas and values (such as liberty and individualism) and the ways in which these condition the expression of the American political system; it looks at intermediate institutions that connect the public to the federal government (such as elections, the media, and interest groups); it explores the central institutions in Washington (such as the Presidency, Congress, and the Supreme Court), and assesses important policy areas (such as gun control).

Assessment Method:

Assignment 70%, Report 30%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Political Thinking

Code:

PO2THI

Convenor:

DR Maxime Lepoutre

Summary:

Module in applied political theory. The course investigates the ethical issues that lie behind some important contemporary policy debates. 

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Professional Placement Year

Code:

AD2PPY

Convenor:

MS Rebecca Jerrome

Summary:

By selecting a professional placement year you'll undertake a minimum of 40 weeks full time employment to gain relevant work experience in your chosen industry. You'll apply the theoretical knowledge and practical skills gained throughout Part 1 and Part 2 of your degree, benefitting the placement organisation and your own professional development. Placements must be approved by the University before they commence, and you'll be supported through the application and approval process by a Placement Coordinator. A maximum of two different placements can be undertaken with a minimum duration of 20 weeks full time per placement.  

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Agricultural Technology: Application, Adoption and Ethics

Code:

AD3ATC

Convenor:

PROF Paul Hadley

Summary:

Explore different agricultural technologies and their contribution to sustainability (productivity, environment, society), and consider how we can encourage their adoption on farm. Through lectures, seminars, field trips, and industry engagement, examine technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, robotics, drones, and gene editing. Discuss the ethics of new agricultural technologies, exploring different visions of future innovation, and various issues associated with the proposed ‘fourth agricultural revolution’, e.g. trust in food production, data ownership, security and privacy, animal welfare, the nature of farm employment, farmer physical and mental health. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Independent Research Project

Code:

AD3RES

Convenor:

DR Gillian Rose

Summary:

This module builds on the skills, knowledge and experience that you’ve gained throughout your degree course. You will identify a suitable research topic, develop an hypothesis, plan and conduct a research project. Using your statistical skills you will analyse the results of your research project and rely on your critical analyses skills to interpret the data. Your research will be presented to your peers and the wider School of Agriculture, Policy and Development via a scientific poster presentation and you will produce a written dissertation. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Advances in Bioveterinary Sciences

Code:

AD3ABS

Convenor:

DR Zoe Barker

Summary:

What are the major contemporary issues impacting the animal sector today, why do they matter and how can science and technology research help address them? What is the latest thinking and methodology in animal welfare research? What are the emerging issues affecting global animal health? What impact does keeping animals for food production and leisure have on our environment and how can we reduce environmental footprint of animals under human management? You’ll gain a more advanced understanding of a range of contemporary issues and knowledge of scientific approaches and techniques that researchers use at the forefront of the sector to tackle these challenges through lectures, critical discussions and independent project work. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Advanced Livestock Production and Product Quality

Code:

AD3APQ

Convenor:

DR Caroline Rymer

Summary:

When does muscle become meat? What factors affect meat quality? How can meat production and quality be enhanced and financial value of meat increased? What are the key performance indicators of sustainable dairy production? What makes egg production more sustainable? Through a combination of lectures, guest speakers, and industry-based visits, you’ll develop a more advanced understanding of the many factors and processes which affect the composition and eating quality of meat, and the quality and profitability of milk and egg production. You’ll  develop a series of farm to fork strategies which could be employed by the meat, egg and dairy industry to optimise the organoleptic quality of meat the welfare of laying hens and the environmental impact of milk production.  

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Business Management and Entrepreneurship

Code:

AD3BME

Convenor:

PROF Peter Dorward

Summary:

The main aim of this module is to learn how to work with real client businesses and entrepreneurs to develop successful management proposals and solve challenges. You will develop skills required to prepare and assess business proposal and plans by working with clients. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Business Planning and Control

Code:

AD3BPC

Convenor:

DR Yiorgos Gadanakis

Summary:

Learn how to effectively manage a farm business by increasing the efficient use of the four factors of production (human capital, financial capital, physical capital, entrepreneurship). Gain an in depth understanding of the use of financial tools for decision making and learn how to use the production function to efficiently allocate resources in order to maximise revenue, by examining the relationship between factor-factor, factor-product, and product-product relationship. In addition, through practical examples and in class exercises and tutorials, review a series of tools used for farm planning and control, investment appraisal and risk analysis. 

The module has the following broad aims: 

• To develop understanding of the control function of farm management 
• To develop understanding of the fundamental role that planning plays in managing a farm business 

This encompasses the following objectives: 

• To review and interpret farm business data, particularly for measuring and analysing the performance of a business in financial terms 
• To apply planning methods and techniques to facilitate managerial decisions making and resource planning 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Cereal Management and Marketing

Code:

AD3CMM

Convenor:

DR Paola Tosi

Summary:

For the student to become familiar with the principles and practices of growing, assessing and selling cereal crops for different markets.

To enable students to evaluate the effects of genotype, agronomy and environment on the yield and quality of small-grained cereals and determine their impact on end-use, marketing  and financial margins.

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Climate Smart Agriculture

Code:

AD3CSA

Convenor:

DR Gillian Rose

Summary:

Climate change and food insecurity are interlinked global challenges of key importance. Climate Smart Agriculture aims to secure food security, make agricultural systems more resilient to climate change, and reduce the impact of agriculture on climate change. Through this module you will have the opportunity to develop your knowledge of fundamental biological processes, your ability to use and critique research methods, and a detailed understanding of the complexity of tackling world-wide issues, all within the framework of Climate Smart Agriculture. 

The module covers essential information about the global climate system and the processes that govern interactions between plants, soils, and climate factors. We then critique a broad range of scientific methods used in climate smart agriculture, and you get hands-on experience using a crop model to simulate crop production in future climates and design an irrigation schedule that maximises crop water use efficiency. Climate Smart Agriculture cannot occur in isolation, so the module explores climate change adaptation, mitigation and legislation, and how transitions to Climate Smart Agriculture will impact stakeholders across agricultural and food systems.  

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Equine Science and Management

Code:

AD3ESM

Convenor:

DR Kirsty Kliem

Summary:

More than 100 million equids are kept globally(1) and in 2019 the UK equestrian sector was worth £4.7bn(2). You’ll learn about the continuing centrality of horses, ponies and donkeys to leisure, sport and as important rural businesses through gaining a deeper understanding of equine health, nutrition, welfare and breeding. Equids are not the same as ruminants, having specific dietary, behavioural and health needs and you’ll evaluate the evidence for how we feed, breed and keep horses. This is supported by visits to equine businesses to gain practical knowledge of how these establishments are managed and you’ll develop skills in critically evaluating equine management and translating this into evidence-based practice. For students who’ve not studied much biological science in the past there is accessible additional reading to help you prepare.

This module aims to enable students to develop an understanding of the health, nutritional, reproductive and behavioural needs for different groups of equids including companion/leisure horses, racehorses and working donkeys, with specific focus on evidence-based decision making in equine management so that students are equipped to develop and advise on best practice in keeping equids.

(1) The Brooke, Working Equids in Sustainable Development (2020)

(2) British Equine Trade Association, National Equestrian Survey (2019)

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Ecosystem Services and Nature-Based Solutions

Code:

AD3ESN

Convenor:

DR Laura Girling

Summary:

The module aims to introduce students to the concept of ecosystem services and how nature-based solutions might act to promote their delivery. The module will outline ecosystem ecology and the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function.  It will outline the benefits of ecosystem services to human wellbeing and approaches to the valuation of ecosystem service.  The module will use contemporary case studies illustrating how management can be implemented to optimise ecosystem service delivery, including in the context of adaptation to climate change.  These will cover natural flood management, coastal realignment, urban greenspace, agri-environmental schemes and habitat restoration.  The case studies and accompanying fieldtrips will illustrate the roles of policy, governance and stakeholder engagement in the delivery of nature-based solutions. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Horticultural Crop Technology

Code:

AD3HCT

Convenor:

DR Luke Bell

Summary:

This module provides students with an understanding and knowledge of specific aspects of horticultural crop technology. Several advanced technical and scientific aspects of horticultural production systems in temperate areas are also covered to illustrate the relationship between plant physiology and genetics, and the development of new horticultural technologies. Crop technologists in the horticulture industry are required to be innovative and to design new technologies to improve production efficiency. This module will enable students to research technologies and appraise their potential critically. The course builds on a previous module by studying subjects in greater detail. Interactive lectures will allow the students to gain experience in evaluating scientific research critically. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Principles of Integrated Pest Management

Code:

AD3IPM

Convenor:

DR Alexey Mikaberidze

Summary:

Learn the core principles of integrated pest management (IPM) and how IPM is being used globally to improve plant health and increase the sustainability of agricultural production. Through lectures, seminars and practical sessions you will discover major classes of pest organisms of cultivated plants and will learn integrated methods for their management. You will develop a framework to help you consider the factors that determine the impacts of plant diseases, pests and weeds. By drawing on case studies from around the world you will develop an understanding of how IPM can be incorporated in a whole system approach. 

This module aims to provide students with 

• A robust understanding of the key principles of integrated pest management 
• A knowledge of the major classes of organisms that are considered pests in global cropping and forestry systems and an ability to recognise a limited range of plant diseases, pests, weeds and beneficials 
• An understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes that influence pest population dynamics and therefore the impacts of those pests 
• A knowledge of the key tools that can be employed as part of an IPM approach 
• A range of case studies of IPM in practice and, by making use of experimental data, the ability to evaluate the system-wide interactions that influence management decisions within those systems. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Agricultural Systems in the Tropics

Code:

AD3TRC

Convenor:

DR Andrew Daymond

Summary:

The module will consider tropical agriculture and farming systems, focussing on the physical, climatic, edaphic and biological factors affecting crop and animal production. The module will use case studies to show how these factors are interrelated and integrated in farming systems and livelihoods. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Development of transferable skills through a school placement 4

Code:

ED3TS4

Convenor:

MR Mark Aitchison

Summary:

This module enables undergraduate students to develop key transferable skills needed for employment, and also provides outreach experience. Following specialist training on key aspects of working in schools, ten day placements in June/July in secondary schools in the Reading area will provide work experience in a professional setting.

In the autumn, students will build on the knowledge and transferable skills acquired in order to plan and deliver, with colleagues, a teaching session that shares knowledge of their degree specialism with small groups of school pupils. Students will reflect on, and share, their experiences with their colleagues. Assessment will be by coursework, and placement supervisor report on professionalism and engagement.

Students will be selected by application and interview.

Please be aware that once the placement has been completed in June it is not possible to switch from this module in the Autumn Term as students have completed practical activities directly relating to 50% of the mark (Professionalism and portfolio) and that link to activities in the Autumn Term.

Assessment Method:

Practical 10%, Oral 50%, Portfolio 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Intercultural Communications

Code:

LS3IC

Convenor:

DR Erhan Aslan

Summary:

In this module, students will explore how people of different discourse systems or groups communicate with one another in various face-to-face and digitally-mediated contexts. Specifically, students will gain an understanding of how assumptions and values that have been constructed or adopted within a specific culture group influence the ways in which people successfully communicate with each other as well as experience miscommunication. Students will become familiar with a variety of topics in intercultural communication as they engage in hands-on analyses of intercultural encounters.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 50%, Set exercise 10%, Project 40%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Language and Power

Code:

ML3LP

Convenor:

PROF Federico Faloppa

Summary:

This module aims to familiarise students with the linguistic means by which a whole range of persuasive texts can be analysed. We will also be considering the use of language as a powerful tool in itself. We will investigate a range of genres, discourse types, and theoretical approaches, and we will look at textual, pragmatic, and rhetorical features to better understand power relations and how texts (and their content) can be manipulated. We will then understand, and apply techniques to reveal a text’s underlying ideological stance and bias. 

Assessment Method:

Oral 25%, Project 75%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Feminism and Political Theory

Code:

PO3FPT

Convenor:

DR Maxime Lepoutre

Summary:

This module explores the contributions of feminism to contemporary political theory. It begins by examining theoretical controversies surrounding the definition, subject matter, and aims of feminism. It then brings these theoretical insights to bear on a range of pressing issues in feminist politics, such as abortion, surrogacy, pornography, marriage and sexist language.

Assessment Method:

Assignment 100%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

Gender and Politics

Code:

PO3GAP

Convenor:

DR Katharina Lawall

Summary:

Why do women remain under-represented in politics? Are voters sexist? And do women make for better political leaders? These are examples of the types of questions that we will consider in this module. Over the course of ten two-hour seminars we will explore how gender shapes politics. Throughout this we will also consider how gender intersects with other identities of race, ethnicity and sexuality. In the module we will look at many real-world examples and students are encouraged to bring their own examples for discussion. The module also exposes students to a variety of different research methods that are used in the field of gender and politics. The course is taught through ten two-hour seminars which require active participation and preparatory work from students. 

Assessment Method:

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Title:

International Political Economy

Code:

PO3IPE

Convenor:

DR Jonathan Golub

Summary:

The course is an introduction to International Political Economy (IPE), which focuses on the interaction between states and markets at the domestic and international levels. It covers the major theoretical approaches to IPE and applies them to study international trade, development, financial crises, and economic sanctions. It also considers the relationship between globalisation and the welfare state as well as the environment.

Assessment Method:

Exam 40%, Assignment 40%, Oral 20%

Disclaimer:

The modules described on this page are what we currently offer. Modules may change for your year of study as we regularly review our offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.